Parents receive so much information about their child’s growth and development that they may find themselves overwhelmed and have difficulty deciding what is credible, what is useful, and what their role in assessing their own child’s development is.
Familiarizing yourself with signs of appropriate development means being able to determine when you think something is just not right with your developing child. Relying on parental intuition should not be undervalued.
Since autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are diagnosed based on observation of behavior and not on a medical test, the insights of parents and caregivers is of great value in obtaining screening, diagnoses, and treatment, if necessary.
If you suspect your child is exhibiting signs of autism, do not be hesitant about approaching your pediatrician with your concerns. Autism is not caused by parenting practices, and no scientific evidence exists that it is caused by routine childhood vaccinations. Although research suggests links between environmental exposures and autism and between genetics and autism, autism in not per se preventable.
Pediatricians should listen to your concerns as well as ask questions about behaviors or make suggestions for further monitoring that will determine if further screening is warranted. If you find that your pediatrician is not receptive to your concerns, do not hesitate to seek the opinion of a different doctor.
If your pediatrician deems further screening and evaluation necessary, he or she should be able to refer you to a specialist. He or she may also be able to provide information about support groups or other services available to parents of young children affected by ASD.
Early diagnosis is essential to treatment and intervention. If you are concerned about whether your child exhibits signs of autism, The American Autism Society’s website is a great resource for parents.
As with all aspects of parenthood, knowledge is power. Educate yourself, trust your instincts, and do not hesitate to share your concerns with your pediatrician. Most importantly, be an advocate for your child.